


Necessary Sacrifices

by anubislover



Category: RWBY
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Corruption, Dubious Ethics, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Moral Ambiguity, Moral Dilemmas, Older Man/Younger Woman, Political Alliances, Post-Volume 5 (RWBY), Relationship Discussions, Remnant (RWBY), Self-Denial, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-08-24 16:25:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16643645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anubislover/pseuds/anubislover
Summary: “Imagine my surprise when I arrive in Mantle and hear about your impending nuptials to a Schnee. Now, either Willow Schnee has finally sobered up enough to divorce that jackass, or you’ve got your eye on a younger prize. Given the look on a certain Ice Princess’ face when she saw the society pages, I’m guessing the latter.”Qrow finds out Ironwood is engaged to the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company and isn't exactly happy about it. James tries to justify his actions, because sometimes promises have to be broken and necessary sacrifices must be made for the greater good.At least, that's what he tells himself.





	Necessary Sacrifices

**Author's Note:**

> The sequel to "The Proposal" that I dont think anyone actually asked for, but it's been bouncing in my head ever since the end of Volume 5 when they said they were heading back to Atlas.

The bitter cold that dominated Atlas’ weather patterns deterred most from keeping their windows open, but for General James Ironwood, the frigid breeze was one of the few things keeping him awake at that late hour. Days had been spent in his office at the top of the Academy’s tower pouring over documents and plans and proposals, each one requiring his undivided attention. It was a lot of pressure to put on one man, but he couldn’t quite trust others could complete them to his satisfaction, so he bore the burden himself. Still, it was times like these that he almost wished the school, military, and government weren’t so interconnected.

There was another reason he kept the window open, though; anticipation that a certain black bird would fly in to give him news. Ever since Qrow’s letter had arrived nearly a month ago informing him of Leo’s death and the Hunter’s intentions to head north to Solitas, Ironwood ensured his office window remained cracked open, just to make sure he’d get in unimpeded. The fate of the world rested on their shoulders, and there was no time to waste on security checks at the front door. Nor did he entirely trust that Salem’s forces didn’t have spies in the military. He could run all the background checks he wanted on every soldier and their extended family he wanted, but time and resources couldn’t be wasted like that. So, instead he worked late into the night, enduring the draft, waiting for the drunk to come calling.

It seemed luck was on his side that night, as the beat of wings, accompanied by the click of the window finally shutting, finally graced his ears.

“You know, Jimmy, I was expecting to hear all sorts of things while snooping around Atlas. You declaring Martial Law? Obvious. Mandatory enrollment into the academy for anyone showing even the slightest hint of aura? Called it. Curfews? Hell, why not? Sounds like the sort of thing you’d impose just to win Militant Dictator Bingo.”

Ironwood didn’t even look up from his papers. “It’s actually a punch-card. I get a free coffee if I suppress enough civil liberties.”

Despite himself, Qrow had to chuckle. At least the Headmaster was aware of what tyrannical asshat he was. Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to lay into him, though. “Heard plenty of juicy gossip, too. My favorite’s that you dangled Jacques Schnee out his office window when he tried to oppose your Dust embargo.”

“Oh, if only.”

“He giving you much trouble?”

Shrugging, he approved a request from one of the professors asking for permission to lead a class of third-years into the mountains for a training exercise. “Not as much as he used to. Hard to bluff when you don’t have any cards in your hands.”

“Cards like his daughters?”

That made Ironwood look up, staring into the critical eyes of the Huntsman, all friendly teasing gone.

“Imagine my surprise when I arrive in Mantle and hear about your impending nuptials to a Schnee. Now, either Willow Schnee has finally sobered up enough to divorce that jackass, or you’ve got your eye on a younger prize. Given the look on a certain Ice Princess’ face when she saw the society pages, I’m guessing the latter.”

Qrow couldn’t keep the sneer off his face when he spoke. He’d been on his way out to meet Ironwood when he’d heard Weiss gasp. In her hands was the newspaper Ozpin had been reading, a look of shock and horror in her blues eyes. He’d only caught a glance of the headline before she’d furiously torn the whole article to shreds, but it was enough to fuel him to fly all the way to Atlas Academy from Mantle without stopping. White-hot rage and the desire to punch someone in his stupid, chiseled jaw is a great motivator when you want to fly across the frozen tundra quickly.

_General James Ironwood Speaks on His Upcoming Nuptials to Schnee Heiress._

It was exhaustion that kept Qrow from bashing the Headmaster’s face in when he’d arrived. That, and Ozpin’s insistence that no matter what Ironwood had done in the past year, they needed him if they were going to keep the relic safe. So, despite the anger and betrayal twisting his gut, he’d decided to let the tin-man explain himself.

_Then_ he’d punch him in the face.

Ironwood’s full attention was finally on the hunter. “Weiss is with you?”

“Yeah, and her team, where she belongs.” Sure, they were staying in a crappy hotel in a not-so-great section of Mantle, but it was better than camping out in the frozen mountains. They’d all had more than enough camping for a while.

The general let out a sigh of relief. “Good. I’m glad she’s safe.” His expression hardened. “Has anyone seen her? Has she been recognized? I’ve gone through a lot of trouble to keep her absence hidden. I don’t need you flying in and mucking it all up.”

“Oh, don’t worry, she’s staying outta the spotlight. You’re lucky you’re talking to me instead of her, though; I speak from experience when I say Schnee women do not hold back when they’re pissed.”

“And yet you always go out of your way to pick a fight with Winter.”

“Nothing spiced up a dull day like hate sex with an angry Ice Queen,” he said, a forced nonchalance in his voice. “And she was always plenty forgiving after I rocked her world. Though with your…condition, that’s probably not the most viable solution, huh?”

Cobalt eyes narrowed at the insinuation. “You’d best watch your tone while you’re in my office, Qrow. I’ve told you plenty of times, my prosthetics aren’t _that_ extensive.”

“You sure? Because it takes a man with pure brass balls to pull the kind of shit you have.”

“You have no idea the sacrifices I’ve had to make to keep this kingdom from falling apart,” he growled, right hand clenching as he slowly stood up.

“Yeah, I’m sure it’s such a fucking sacrifice, marrying a beautiful woman that comes with the keys to the world’s largest Dust mining operation,” he sneered, stalking over to the desk. Hands shoved into his pockets, he deliberately kept the heavy piece of furniture between them. It was the only thing he had the clarity to do, because with every word that came out of the general’s mouth, it became more tempting to wrap his hands around his throat. The general’s self-important claims of sacrifice rang pretty hollow to Qrow, who’d spent months fighting more and more dangerous Grimm, protecting his nieces and their friends, lugging a powerful and mysterious relic across the wilderness where it attracted all kinds of trouble, and even getting betrayed by his sister. What had Jimmy done besides sit on his ass in an ivory tower while systematically destroying Atlas’ civil liberties?

It had noting to do with a broken heart or a sense of personal betrayal from his old frenemy. Nothing to do with the bride in the equation. Nah, he was just mad James was trying to make himself out to be the victim in all this. As if most people wouldn’t salivate over being in his position. “Jimmy Ironwood; martyr for the ages. So, did you actually propose, or did you just order her to start trying on wedding dresses?”

His metal fist slammed against the dark wood of his desk, causing papers to flutter and a lamp to wobble precariously as he leaned across to look Qrow dead in the eyes. “I _never_ ordered her to marry me. It Jacques’ idea; a cruel, stupid ploy in hopes of having a way to control the two of us! When Weiss escaped, I’d hoped that would be the end of it, but the kingdom is in such a panic right now that they need something to distract them. I’m making the best out of a bad situation.”

“So, you’re hoping to keep Salem’s forces away with a wedding?” The Hunter let out a harsh, bitter laugh. “Sure, why not? Oz probably hasn’t tried that tactic.”

“It’s a smokescreen, Qrow. If all the people focus on is the looming threat of war, not even Atlas’ defenses will be enough to keep out the Grimm. They’re more than happy to be diverted by the spectacle that comes from the engagement of two prominent names rather than the mobilization of our forces.”

“And I’m sure Winter’s just _thrilled_ with the idea.”

A tiny grimace crossed his face. No, his top Specialist hadn’t been happy. He hadn’t even tried to dodge the punch she’d delivered to his kidney. He knew he deserved it, and it was best to just take the blows and let her vent her rage. Once she’d calmed down, he’d explained himself, but he’d still slept with one eye open for over a week. His Winter might have the discipline not to attack him outright, but he didn’t quite trust her not to send a Grimm after him until the engagement was well underway. “She understands the necessity for such a ruse, despite her personal feelings against it. It took filling her in on Salem to finally convince her.”

“Didn’t think even the threat of a nigh-immortal goddess would make Winter agree to be a trophy wife. Thought she had more self-respect than that.”

“Wait, what?”

The long-legged Hunter started pacing the room, tension and irritation audible in his heavy stomps. “Then again, rich chicks with daddy issues always seem to end up in bed with older guys with questionable morals and troubled pasts. Should’ve seen it coming, really. Sure, they’ll slum it for a bit, sleep with the occasional bad boy or low-class ruffian, but they always run back to their high-society lifestyle once they realize he can’t provide her with all those nice, fancy things she’s used to and isn’t the kind of guy any girl should try to have a life with unless she’s a total glutton for punishment and misery. Why would she be any different?”

Despite his discomfort, James found himself oddly fixated on Qrow’s hostile ramblings. All of Ozpin’s inner circle had known he and Winter had a casual, rivals-with-benefits thing going on, but was Qrow _jealous_? Were there actual feelings between the unlucky Hunter and the icy Specialist beyond lust and irritation? Had the situation not been so dire, he’d already be writing Glynda to inform her that they’d lost the bet with Ozpin.

As is stood, he was forced to stand there awkwardly, seeing the picture Qrow was bitterly putting together like a mental jigsaw puzzle; General James Ironwood, with all his respect, power, and authority, arm-in-arm with a beautiful, wealthy Schnee heiress in an extravagant wedding dress, Dust and soldiers and money at their feet.

Unfortunately, Qrow was missing a very conspicuous piece right where the bride’s face should be.

Not even noticing James’ silence, he continued to rant, “I guess I should only be surprised that Jacques gave her back her status. Probably looked better in the headlines. ‘Specialist’ just doesn’t sound as romantic as ‘heiress,’ does it?”

There was a tense pause, and a feeling of dread filled the General’s stomach. Oum above, he was going to have to tell him. He honestly wasn’t sure if he was safer with a jealous Qrow or one that knew the truth.

“Qrow,” he asked slowly, dreading the answer, “do you think I’m marrying Winter?”

This made the drunken Hunter pause, and James could practically see the gears turning in his head.

“You gotta be. Winter’s back in Atlas; Weiss’ been gone for over a month.”

“Winter is too valuable to the military to remove from active duty. It had to be Weiss. Jacques told the press that she’s still recovering from the trauma of what happened at Beacon and an attempted kidnapping and is avoiding the public eye, planning our wedding from the comfort of her home.”

“She was disinherited.”

“Once Jacques realized that the marriage was necessary to keep Atlas from going to pieces, he reinstated her title. Or at least, she’ll officially get it back once we’re married.”

“She’s a kid.”

“Weiss has legally been an adult for over a month. Even if she wasn’t, her father’s permission would overrule that in the eyes of the law.”

As Qrow’s eyes burned red, the General braced himself for impact.

“You. Fucking. _Monster_.”

“Let me explain—”

The fist to his jaw cut him off as the gangly Hunter practically leapt over the desk. “Ice Queen I could get! But Weiss? She’s the same age as my _niece_ , Jimmy! An adult by the barest margin!”

“I told you, it was Jacques’ idea!” he snapped, rubbing his jaw while backing away from the enraged man. He knew he deserved it, but he had a lot less patience for Qrow’s accusations than he did Winter’s.

“His idea, but your actions! Weiss said she ran away from Atlas over a month ago! You’re telling me that you decided to use that to your advantage and announce a betrothal when she’s not even around to say no?”

“I told you, it was for the sake of not causing a panic!” James shouted, dodging another fist. He was grateful his office was not only sound-proof, but that it was too late in the evening for soldiers or any of the teaching staff to interrupt. He did not want to explain why he was being attacked by one of Signal Academy’s former instructors. Taking a deep breath, he tried to keep a cool head, maneuvering so the desk was once again between them. “Jacques brought up the betrothal to the Council before she even left. We both knew it was just a ploy to keep us both under his thumb, but at the time I was barely holding onto my authority. I couldn’t guarantee that I’d be able to prevent it, so I encouraged her to run before they could make that decision for us.”

“Didn’t help her escape, though, did ya?”

“I couldn’t. Not without losing the Council’s trust, and then how would I keep the relic safe? She didn’t need my help, anyway, besides my looking the other way when I heard rumors of cargo pilots smuggling people out of the kingdom.” Sighing, he clasped his hands behind his back, pacing the office with crisp, precise steps, unconsciously following the same route Qrow had. “I’d assumed that would be then end of it. We couldn’t waste time and resources searching for one girl, no matter her lineage, and Jacques had lost his trump card, leaving him powerless. I thought we were both free.”

“Yeah? What changed?”

One hand wearily rubbed his temples. “Unfortunately, despite the attempts to cover it up, her disappearance didn’t go unnoticed. A shattered bedroom window of Atlas’ largest mansion isn’t exactly inconspicuous, and someone on staff must have let slip that Weiss had gone missing. People started to talk. The Schnees have plenty of enemies, and the press was speculating that she’d been kidnapped.”

“Still not your problem.”

Exasperation crept into his voice. “Except that the military and the Schnee Dust Company are two of the major pillars the hold up this kingdom’s foundation. If the SDC crumbles, the Academy and military lose access to Dust. That would shatter our defenses, and the people know it. So, the Council begged me step in, and in one fell swoop, I gained a fiancée, was praised as a hero by the media, and ensured that Jacques’ power had been whittled down to nothing. All without even having to leave the kingdom.”

“Or actually having to find the girl in question,” he snarked. “What did you do, Jimmy? Dress her brother up in drag and say she’d been at your place the whole time?”

“Hardly, and Whitley could never stand in for Weiss; it would be like trying to replace a masterpiece with a child’s finger-painting. But if you’re really curious, I’m sure there are still plenty of articles gushing about my daring rescue of Weiss Schnee from the clutches of the White Fang.”

“Wasn’t aware they were making moves up here,” he said, brow furrowing. Blake hadn’t said anything about it. Sure, there were plenty of angry, improvised, subjugated Faunus in Mantle, but given the military might of the mostly-human population, it would take a lot for the White Fang to do more than get their brothers and sisters killed. Even Sienna Khan had known any members within these borders would have to be discrete.

Ironwood shrugged. “To the general population, any Faunus with a temper is a member of the White Fang.”

Ice water ran down Qrow’s spine as he looked at the steely determination in his eyes, and immediately he was hit by the weight of the general’s words. “Jimmy, tell me you didn’t kill innocent Faunus for this. Innocent _people_.”

Cobalt blue remained hard as Dust crystals. “They weren’t innocent. They were wanted criminals that the police were already planning to take down. My forces just happened to get there first.”

“You look me in the fucking eye and tell me you actually believe they were dangerous and weren’t just petty thieves and thugs trying to get by.”

There was a barely-noticeable flicker of doubt, but then it was gone, his expression cold and closed as an iron fortress. “It was for the greater good.”

“A frame-up to ‘rescue’ a girl they didn’t even have was for the greater good?” he shouted, grabbing the general by the lapels. “How many Faunus died, Jimmy? Were you even there? Or did you just send in your soldiers and reap the ‘glory?’”

Slapping his hands away, Ironwood glared. “Of course I was there! I would never give an order I wouldn’t follow through myself.”

“So, you were completely willing to murder innocents. You disgust me.”

It took everything he had not to scream in frustration. Didn’t Qrow realize that things weren’t that black and white? He of all people should know difficult choices had to be made to get through life, especially when their every move was designed to keep a monstrous near-goddess at bay. And it’s not like the former bandit hadn’t killed innocents for his own ends in the past. Who was he to judge him?

Despite the urge to toss the unlucky Hunter out a window, he simply squared his shoulders and loomed over him, fixating him with a stern glare that made his soldiers piss themselves. “Then I guess you aren’t going to tell me what your letter was about? You made it sound rather important. Too important to risk falling into the wrong hands, so it had to be done face-to-face.”

Qrow wasn’t intimidated, but he had to admit Ironwood had a point. Fists clenching, the Hunter still hesitated. He’d promised James an explanation, but could he really trust him anymore? It wasn’t just about Weiss—it was the shady means he’d used to create the illusion; the cold, matter-of-fact way he’d just admitted to framing a group of Faunus who, criminals or not, were executed for a kidnapping they never committed. Hell, when she’d been kidnapped it was by human bandits on a totally different continent.

Then there was the way Ironwood was running things. He’d predicted Martial Law, but there was something in the man’s eye that made the hairs on the back of his head stand up. His willingness to do whatever it took to maintain order, to pull the wool over peoples’ eyes with a sham wedding to a girl who hadn’t even been around to say no, spoke volumes of what he was capable of.

He needed to talk to Ozpin. Needed to figure out the best way to handle this mess they’d found themselves in.

Turning to leave, he said, “I think we’ve talked enough for the night. I’ve been flying for two days, and you look like you haven’t slept in a week. Besides, now that I’ve seen the situation, I think it’s best we get the whole team together. The fewer times I have to explain things, the better for my sanity.”

Though disappointed, Ironwood reluctantly had to agree. If tonight’s argument was anything to go by, they would need other people around to keep them in check. “Let me know when you’re back in Alas and I’ll ensure you and your team will get through security with minimal questions. I’ll also invite Winter to the meeting,” he said, hoping to provoke some kind of reaction. Qrow being this solemn, not to mention unnaturally sober, was concerning; something truly serious must have happened back in Haven.

When Qrow barely acknowledged him, he sighed. He had one last request to make, and it wasn’t going to be a pleasant one. “You said Weiss is in Mantle?”

“Yeah,” he replied absently, trying to remember if there were any hotels in Atlas cheap enough for him to afford or if he'd be roughing it again. "She and her team. They’ll be attending our little meeting; they know what's up, and believe me when I say they’ve probably seen more shit that we did at their age.”

“I was going to request you bring her in any case.” He sighed, knowing another argument was about to start, but squared his shoulders determinedly. “Mainly because if your business requires you to remain in this kingdom for more than a few days, I’m going to require that you turn Miss Schnee over to me.”

He froze like he’d been caught in an avalanche. “You gotta be joking.”

“I’m not. I won’t lie and say my sole concern is for her safety. Her mere presence in Atlas could make or break our delicate ruse.”

“Your ruse, you mean,” he bit back. “She never agreed to this.”

“Qrow, if she were to be seen running around Solitas with a group of foreign Hunters and Huntresses, it would raise a lot of eyebrows. She’s supposed to be healing from the trauma caused by the Fall of Beacon and her kidnapping. It’s the excuse we’ve given for why she’s refused to make any public appearances in the last month," he reasoned. "It would be beneficial to you, too; if you want to go unnoticed, travelling with a Schnee isn’t exactly the best plan. They tend to attract attention, especially from certain CEOs who would do anything at this point to regain even a shred of control back over me.”

Unconsciously, the Hunter's hand gripped the hilt of his sword. “I hand her over to you and she’s back to being a pawn in someone else’s game. And who’s to say you’ll let her go when we move on?”

“You have such little faith in me?”

“Jimmy, I’ll be square with you; I never asked to trek across Remnant with my nieces, a Faunus revolutionary, an ex-heiress, and a farm boy to hunt down powerful relics and magical maidens to save the world from what I can only classify as an insane goddess. But I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to those kids while I still breathe, and that includes getting trapped in an arranged marriage with a guy who’s this close to tipping over the edge into tyranny.”

“Then why don’t we let her decide?” he said solemnly, crossing his arms. “Contrary to what you may think, I’m not heartless. She’s a capable young woman who has every right to pick the best course of action for herself.”

Qrow raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You’re serious? You’ll let her go if she picks her team?”

Nodding, he said, “If she feels she can contribute more to your mission than mine, she’ll be free to do so. However, you can be sure I will pull no punches in trying to convince her to stay. Salem is a great threat, but she’ll have already won if this kingdom tears itself apart. Atlas is Remnant’s most powerful military force; if she attacks, we need a strong, unified army to defend the people.”

“There won’t be a kingdom to tear apart if she wins, Jimmy. I need every skilled Hunter and Huntress I’ve got to help me find the relics and take down that witch’s forces. I'm not losing the Ice Princess' skills so she can play house with you. But there’s no point hashing it out to each other; this is Weiss’ decision to make. And we’re going to respect whatever she chooses. Deal?”

Ironwood shook his hand, eyes hard and determined. “Deal. We make our cases, but Weiss gets the last word.”

Qrow really wanted to believe him. James wasn’t like Leo. He couldn’t be threatened into betraying them to Salem. But he didn’t trust anyone’s judgement but his own. He could say he’d put Weiss’ decision first, but what was really stopping him from forcing her to stay. He could threaten the team, take them captive, any number of things to “convince” her to stay.

With that in mind, Qrow decided to give one last parting shot as he climbed onto the windowsill. “I’ll come back in a few days with everyone. I think all parties involved should be present when we start making life-altering decisions. Besides,” he sneered, “I wanna see you try to justify your ‘heroic’ rescue to Blake Belladonna. Or the ‘sacrifices’ you’ve made to Oz.”

“Ozpin’s with you!?”

“Yeah. So you’d better make sure my team gets into your office lickity-split when we get here. Last thing we need is for Weiss’ status as a media darling to attract too much attention and alert our enemies to his latest form, right?”

Before James could answer, Qrow had leapt from the tower, transforming into a bird mid-air and flying off into the darkness, leaving nothing but a cold draft in his wake.

Closing the window, Ironwood pressed his forehead against the glass, clenching his metal fist beside it. He would convince Weiss to stay. He had to. There was too much at stake now for her to run off again. It had been easy to deride Jacques’ proposal when it had only affected the two of them, but now, all of Atlas was at stake. A strong, united kingdom was the only way to keep Salem’s forces at bay.

She was a reasonable young woman; she’d understand the necessity of his actions, the importance of keeping up appearances when everyone was looking to him for strength and assurance. It wasn’t ideal, but it was a more logical option for her than going out to fight monsters beyond comprehension in a fruitless war. In Atlas, she could be useful, helping keep the population happy and safe. Hell, together, maybe they could make the kingdom even better. If they played this right, they could take over the SDC and turn it back into the company her grandfather had envisioned. Then, maybe, once things had calmed down, he’d let her go to become the Huntress she had the potential to be.

But for now, sacrifices would have to be made.

A small stab of guilt pinched his gut, but he resolutely ignored it. What was breaking a promise to one girl compared to everything else he’d done? Besides, he wasn’t really breaking it; just postponing it. Indefinitely. He’d ensure she got the best Huntress training available once the threat of war no longer loomed over them.

At least he could still ensure Jacques wouldn’t get his hands on her again. The Schnee mansion would only be visited under strict supervision; just enough to keep up appearances and remind her father he wasn’t calling the shots anymore. Weiss would instead stay in the headmaster’s private quarters in the academy tower. They weren’t as opulent as the mansion, but they were spacious and protected and certainly more luxurious than some tent out in the wilderness. He already basically slept in his office, so there was no reason she couldn’t use his chambers until he'd had one of his spare rooms refurbished for her.

That thought made him pause. It was an effective short-term solution, but they couldn’t keep up the charade forever. Even long engagements had an inevitable conclusion. He hadn’t told Qrow, but now that he knew Weiss was back in the kingdom, he had every intention of going through with the marriage.

It had taken a while to come to terms with the possibility, but Ironwood knew that there was no easy way to end the charade. All options had been thoroughly considered, from staging a dramatic break-up to even faking her death, but all of them would backfire spectacularly. Without Weiss as a trump card, Jacques could easily claim James had caused more harm than good, possibly even calling for his removal. The Council would do it, too; they weren’t so deeply in Jacques’ pockets anymore, but they were still a swarm of hungry sharks. Losing Weiss would cut him deeply enough to send them into a frenzy, eager to tear him apart if they smelled blood in the water.

His only hope—the kingdom’s only hope—was that Weiss would accept that this was now bigger than them both and remain by his side.

Returning to his desk, Ironwood began drafting an order for any of Weiss’ belongings to be brought to his quarters. Perhaps Klein would be willing to split his time between the Schnee mansion and Weiss’ new domicile. That might make the transition easier for her.

Another twist of guilt came at the reluctant acknowledgement that, whatever way you slice it, he was getting the better deal from this whole situation. James Ironwood would have a beautiful wife with a well-connected name, the SDC, the Council in his pocket, the kingdom under control, and so much more. What Weiss Schnee got was a husband twice her age, responsibilities she had never asked for, and an image she’d be required to maintain. Basically, another gilded cage, one shackled not by her father, but by a man who had once promised to help her attain freedom.

He’d at least fulfil his promise to be a good husband. The last thing he wanted was to look in the mirror one day and find Jacques Gele looking back at him. Weiss would not become her mother, drinking in the garden every morning just to forget the man who had only married her for her name. Though he couldn’t promise a fairytale romance, he could keep history from completely repeating itself. Perhaps, in time, she might even come to regard him as more than an ally.

“It’s a necessary sacrifice," he whispered.

He hoped Weiss believed it more than he did.

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I love Ironwood, but I would not be surprised if they get to Atlas to find out he's basically become a paranoid dictator and declared Martial Law. Hopefully they dont make him a villain like they did Leonardo. I need my Irondaddy to at least be trying to be one of the good guys.
> 
> I might write a part 3 or a second chapter, but part of that depends on whether or not Volume 6 utterly destroys any plausible way this could happen.


End file.
